'Laws in search of problems that don't exist': Republicans try to ban critical race theory in colleges

Proponents argue that learning the history of racism is crucial to addressing the inequities that result from it, while critics say it singles out white people as the bad guys and within schools, teaches white guilt.Since George Floyd’s murder ignited a racial reckoning across America and Black Lives Matter protesters sparked the second-largest civil rights movement in U.S. history last spring, critical race theory — and if it should be taught in public schools — has been a hotly-debated topic. But conservative lawmakers have become bolder in their reach the last few years, sometimes trying to control what colleges teach, too.When she’s first heard about the law, Smith, a high school social studies teacher, “blew it off,” she said. The diversity classes eventually resumed but moved to an online model, where students watched videos on their own time, a move Steinbaugh at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education criticized.“You could view the class but not interact with your classmates or faculty — that’s not a great way to have conversations,” he said.According to a spokesman from Boise State, the classes are “currently operating as normal in the summer term” and will continue that way.In the South, Kentucky just missed the initial wave of anti-critical race theory legislation due to its legislative session ending in March. (Oklahoma legislators approved a bill in early 2020 that required the teaching of the Tulsa race massacre in all K-12 schools starting in fall 2020.)“We whitewash our history,” Smith said.